H20
by zoroVsanji
Summary: Shanks only wanted to know if Ace was looking after his brother properly after another round of Dragon's casino binges but this curiosity and an unusual incident had him staying with the brothers for longer than he expected. ShAce
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. I DO NOT TAKE ANY CREDIT! I WISH I COULD BUT I DONT!

Hi guys!

This is an experiment fic. Just wondered how Shanks and Ace would fit together so yeah. Hope you enjoy.

Oh and by the way, give me some advice here. I was thinking ace with Shanks and then later develop a relationship between Ace and Luffy. Give me your input. I'm not sure if i want to do it yet. :S It might be weird...

ENJOY!

* * *

Dragon had taken it too far that time.

He was supposed to be their foster father but he spent all his time and money at the casino. His support for Luffy and Ace was non-existent and it felt only right that I should help out. After all, we were best mates; I should look out for his kids, you know, make sure they're alright and everything.

It was only a matter of time before Luffy and Ace would need someone to look after them. Luffy was only sixteen and still went to school. I barely knew Ace as the first and last time I met him was when he was a rebellious teenager; now he was almost twenty. I wasn't sure if Ace was at all capable to look after his immature and oblivious-to-life brother. There was always the possibility that Ace was a lazy slob who slept all day and provided no support; well that was my main reason for visiting. I had to find out if they were coping and I had to find out whether Ace was suitable. Luffy was special to me and he deserved a good life.

I waited for the elevator doors to open. That surging feeling in my stomach had gone so I knew the lift had stopped on the top floor unless some little bugger pressed the button.

Ding.

The door opened, making a smooth metallic sound as they did so.

I stepped out and walked along the corridor. The building wasn't shabby in the slightest; in fact it was nearing snazzy.

I found the right door number and knocked on it rather loudly. Pounding footsteps could be heard, making the floor beneath my feet vibrate excitedly.

The door swung open.

'SHANKS!'

Luffy gave me a full body hug, clinging to me with his arms and legs.

'_You_ haven't changed much.' I replied, laughing as I prised him off me.

'I missed you Shanks!' Luffy said, pulling on my arm. I followed him through a corridor and into a bedroom.

'This is my bedroom.' he said in a tour voice.

He continued to pull me along by the sleeve and I smiled. His presence was so comforting.

'This is Ace's bedroom where Ace said you should stay but he snores so you might not want to.' Luffy laid back on Ace's bed and stretched his arms behind his head. He closed his eyes and smiles. 'I'm so happy you're here.'

'Yeah, me too kid.' I replied. 'Look, I'm not sure if I'm going to be staying tonight.'

Luffy didn't stir. He was asleep with a smile on his lips and a bubble of snot breathing in and out from his nose.

I walked out the room and half closed the door. I walked down the corridor we came, looking in different rooms. It was a very big apartment; a lot bigger than I expected. I leaned against a wall and rested my head against it. It was going to be a long day. The morning sun had already risen and I still had to check out the apartment, find out the financial situation and, well, meet Ace.

I didn't know what to expect, or maybe subconsciously I did. I suppose in my mind I imagined a lazy bum with constant hangovers with the pizza delivery number on speed dial. Further back in my mind where I didn't want to look, I suspected his idea of a financial plan was spend-what-you-get.

How I met Ace was quite startling and, to put it lightly, interesting.

I stood there, deep in my thoughts when a door I hadn't investigated opened not too far away from me.

Steam erupted through the doorway, floating through the air like thick smoke. A dark figure emerged through the curtain of white which parted for him and slowly settled to the ground in worship.

Beads of water dripped from the long black hair, hitting the floor like bullets, exploding as they made contact. His lips were encrusted with water-gems, glistening intently. Freckles tinted his cheeks, showing off the sun and his eyes were daring and bold. Looking down, the young man's body was almost sinful. Ripe muscles were carved into his torso and a short towel hung loosely from his hips, leaving little to the imagination.

I acknowledged Ace's attractiveness but I only admired him for it. He was the kind of guy who worked out non-stop.

'Ace, long time no see.' I said, smiling.

Ace gave a toothy smirk before it wavered and turned into a yawn.

'It's been a while. Sorry about this, gimme a sec.'

'Sure, I'll be in the living room if I can find it.' I replied, glancing down one of the many corridors.

'Just down there, through the kitchen and the second door on the right. Help yourself to some food.' Ace said before disappearing.

I was curious.

More than curious.

The place was a mansion. It was spotless and there was _food_. With Luffy around, I was expecting an empty fridge and secret stashes of pot-noodle.

I walked through the maze and found the kitchen. A fruit bowl was centred on the kitchen table and the sink was empty. The draining board was full of clean dishes and the floor looked clean enough to eat off. Their apartment was cleaner than _mine_.

I picked up one of the shiny red apples and took a bite out of it. No worms, no bruises. It was juicy and sweet. Maybe there was no reason to visit.

I went through to the living room and sat down on a sofa. It was leather and looked very expensive.

'Sorry about that. I wasn't expecting you to arrive so early. You say what time you were coming so I assumed you'd be here around lunch time.' Ace said. He had a pair of three quarter length jeans on and nothing else. As he turned to pick up a plate from the floor, I noticed the large tattoo on his back. It had a tribal feel to it. He had another tattoo on his arm but it was in a different language. It was more like signs and symbols than actual letters.

'Sorry, I forgot. I needed to inspect things and wanted to squeeze it all in one day.' I replied.

'Nah forget it. Honestly, Luffy is such a slob.' Ace said, picking up another plate. He placed them on the coffee table and sat down opposite me. 'Where is the little guy?'

'He fell asleep in your room when showing me around.' I replied, rolling my eyes.

An uncomfortable silence sunk in to our conversation (or lack of) and my eyes were forced to take their own tour around the room.

'I can't believe this.'

I looked up suddenly. Ace was looking at me with this incredulous look on his face.

'What?' I replied.

'You're not going to say anything?'

Confusion really hit hard.

'You're not going to tell me what you're talking about?' I mocked, smiling.

'Last time I saw you, you kept badgering me to "put some damn clothes on". Don't you remember?' Ace replied, eyebrow raised.

'Like it was yesterday but I can't really tell you what to do.' I replied, relaxing back into the groove of the couch.

'You used to.' Ace mumbled in defiance.

'Yeah and _you _used to make that face!'

'What face?'

'That one!'

Ace turned his head slightly and frowned playfully. I smiled and started to fiddle with my empty sleeve. It had been such a long time since the incident. Luffy still hadn't forgiven himself for it.

'Hey, I'm gonna cook some breakfast, I take it you'll want to inspect my cooking skills?' Ace said, starting for the door.

'If there is one thing I'm worried about, it's Luffy's diet.' I replied, following him.

I watched Ace prepare the food, meat on the red chopping board, a new board and knife for the vegetables. Nothing was over or under cooked. I couldn't complain.

Everything was served on a big platter and set in the middle of the table.

'Oi Luffy!' Ace called.

You could almost hear Luffy's heart skip a beat. He burst through the door and lunged for the food.

'What did we talk about?' Ace said, stopping his little brother dead in his tracks.

The sixteen year old pulled out a chair hastily and sat down, rigid. His gaze was fixed on the food.

I was stunned, frozen like a statue just like Luffy's own state.

'What the fuck have you done to him?' I asked.

'Jesus, since when do _you_ swear?' Ace laughed as he handed out the plates. 'It's a bit of an improvement i suppose.'

'Improvement? For Luffy this is like rocket science!'

'Yeah, don't think this happened over night. It took a whole year to teach him how to use a knife and fork properly.'

I sat down and looked at Luffy once more. It was weird, _amazing, _but weird.

When Ace had finally got everything in place, he started to fill our plates equally. Luffy constantly watched his plate going back and forth like a magnet. Ace put his plate down in front of him and picked up mine.

Luffy started to tremble and the muscle in his jaw tensed.

'Wait it out a bit longer and I'll give you a present.' I whispered. I saw Ace smile out the corner of my eye.

Luffy turned his head to me and gave me a cheesy grin. God I loved this kid.

* * *

For the **NEXT CHAPTER** you have to figure out the riddle! i do it for every fanfic. once i get _**three**_ right answers, i will publish the next chapter!

here is the riddle:

_i am very popular both with the old and the young_

_you can use me in so many different ways_

_some people like to build with me_

_some people like to gamble with me_

_some people like to toss me one by one into a container_

_i am a game_

_what am i?_

clues:

Pack of 


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. I DO NOT TAKE ANY CREDIT! I WISH I COULD BUT I DON'T!

Wow! You guys got it right in less than a day! (ok, it was very easy. My friend just laughed at me when she saw it :S)

Ok, well, I have decided not to do the LuffyxAce thing. I have a very exciting plot ahead so I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Luffy had been sent to tidy his room so that Shanks and I could have a chat about the financial side of things. I knew it was coming at some point. I knew I would find myself in this situation.

We chose to sit in the conservatory part of the apartment, mainly because the view was great and it might make my words more convincing.

'So, what does your dad contribute to the apartment? Does he pay the bills and send you spending money?' Shanks asked. I frowned.

'He's not my dad. His name is Dragon.' I replied. Luffy still called him dad but I wasn't bothered by it. He could call him whatever he wanted.

'I suppose it _is_ time to grow out of calling him something he's not.'

'I grew out of it long ago.' I replied.

Silence.

'So...?' Shanks implied.

'Oh, he doesn't visit as often as I would like him to. When we see him he usually pays some towards the apartment and some extra for food costs. I have a job too so I don't think the money situation is urgent.' I said. You know that feeling you get when you lie and your tongue feels black with guilt? Well it surged through my veins at that moment.

'It doesn't look urgent either. I'm happy with the way things look and I'm really impressed by you. You've really grown up. What you've done for your brother is great. You have given him a second chance.' Shanks replied, getting up.

'Is that it?' I asked, surprised. Was it that easy?

'Yeah. You've convinced me. Besides, I need to get going; rush hour is on its way.'

I looked long and hard at the red-head. He was such a great man. He was always there for Luffy, always around and ready to help him out. He was like the father Luffy had wished for all those years of loneliness. A part of me, deep down, sort of wished I had that too. I wished someone wanted to help me out.

* * *

As I left the apartment, I smiled. I was proud of Ace. He was no longer the attention-seeking bastard he once was. He had grown into a man with a full conscience. Something made me feel that we could gradually become friends. He seemed like someone I could go out with and let loose. Ace finally gained his own identity.

I exited the building and strolled towards my Jaguar XF and unlocked it. It was brand new and I still got a funny feeling when I sat down in its leather folds. I closed the door, started the car and backed out of the parking space.

As I sped off down the main road, I let the car's smooth engine relax my muscles and cleanse me. God it was a good feeling.

After a good ten minutes drive through the town, I turned into one of the back road short-cuts; I was nearing home. The road was deserted, not a single soul was out. No car, no person, no stray cat. Everything was calm. The winter sun started to set behind the trees and cast an orange blanket over the sky.

At first I thought it was hail. Glass rained through the passenger side and spilled out across the seat. My initial reaction was to hit the brakes. I lurched to a stop. Everything was dead. Every breath that escaped my lips magnified by hundreds and thousands. I turned to the window and my gaze was met with a baseball bat. The window collapsed and my foot slammed on the accelerator. I could almost feel the headlights on the back of my car. My heart began to race in alarm and every move seemed slow and sluggish.

I was breaking the speed limits. I was trying to turn the back-street corners as safely as possible but quick enough to get away.

A bullet dug deep into the stub of my left arm. It didn't hurt but felt cold and numb. I turned a sharp corner and I felt the car lift up. For a second gravity just failed to exist. As the car rolled over, everything seemed to be in slow motion.

In a blink of an eye I was upside down. God knew where I was and wasn't bleeding. Everything seemed silent once again. The glass crackled in chatter while I tried to get a good look outside. Pain suddenly decided to become known. I ached everywhere. a stray bullet had somehow lodged in my shoulder blade as well as my arm and I was covered in glass like a voodoo doll. I lifted my hand to find my phone but it seemed disorientated. It didn't want to go where I told it to.

I managed to unbuckle my seat belt and found myself pressed against the dented ceiling. I turned on my stomach and tried desperately with one arm to pull myself out. I gave up when my foot snagged on something. it seemed too painful to move.

I slowly but surely slid my hand into my jacket pocket and took out my phone. By then my hand was shaking. I put it on the floor and flipped it open with my thumb and forefinger. I laid it down on the cold floor and managed to find my way to the recently called list. I hit the green button and pressed my ear against the speaker. I waited.

* * *

'Jesus Luffy can't you slow down a bit?' I said, laughing at my brother who didn't bother to reply (not that I could have heard him if he had tried).

I got up and took my empty plate to the dishwasher. I stacked them and looked at the blinds. They hid Luffy and I from the rest of the world. I separated two segments and peered outside. It was dark now and you could feel the bitter weather through the glass. winter was not my favourite time of year. I preferred to be in the baking sun or at least in front of a warm, glowing fire. I had a bit of a pyromaniac obsession.

I sighed and turned back to the kitchen and glanced at everything we had but shouldn't.

'Ace.' Luffy said.

I looked at him, startled by his seriousness. 'Yeah?'

'What's going to happen?' He asked, looking at me which a mask of mixed emotions.

'We-'

'Don't lie, just tell me.'

I studied Luffy's face carefully. He definitely wasn't a child anymore. Even though he acted like a six-year-old most of the time he still a man. People often missed that side of him. He was not just a kid.

'I don't know Luffy.' I whispered. 'I don't know what to do.'

Silence.

'But, it doesn't matter because I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere.'

I watched him lower his head and gaze at the table with furrowed eyebrows. I only wanted to give him the life he deserved and I ended up burning it to pieces.

'I know we will be ok.' He looked up at me and gave me a cheesy grin. 'You know why?'

I shook my head, trying to keep the tears from moistening my eyes.

'Because I will protect us.'

I smiled at him, proud of his strength.

'In your dreams squirt. Go to bed and dream them.'

He gave me another toothy grin and ran off to his bedroom.

At that moment I seemed to cave in on myself. I walked through to the living room and collapsed on the sofa. I turned my head to the side and bit my lip to stop myself from breaking. It was hard. It was hard to do these things for the good of an innocent sixteen-year-old but...I had to. That was what kept me hanging, what kept me strong. The simple fact that it was for Luffy was all I needed to keep going.

A distant sound interrupted the moment and it took me a second or so to realise it was my mobile. I went back in to the kitchen and approached my phone warily. When I saw the Caller ID I picked up, forcing a smile on my face.

'Hey Shanks! Left something behind?' I said cheerily down the phone.

I knew something was wrong straightaway. Deep, irregular breathing whispered in my ear.

'Shanks? Are you there? Say something.'

Two more breaths followed by a throaty cough.

'Ace?' More coughing followed.

'Shit, Where are you? I'll come get you.' I said, panicking. My grip on the phone tightened and I suddenly felt nauseous. 'Shanks?'

The phone line stayed on and I couldn't hear anything. No breathing, no traffic, no voices.

I yelled and kicked the kitchen table over in worry and anger. 'Fuck!'

'Ace?'

I turned to look at Luffy. He hadn't even got into bed yet.

'What's going on?' He asked.

I took a deep breath and grabbed our jackets. I took my keys from the hook and nodded towards the door. 'We got to pick up Shanks.'

'What? Why?'

'I don't know Luffy.'

'Is he in trouble?'

I paused before closing the front door and locking it.

'I think so.'

* * *

For the **NEXT CHAPTER** you have to figure out the riddle! This time i need _**five**_ right answers so I can publish the next chapter!

Here is the riddle:

_I am one of the smallest seeds in the world _

_But soon the largest of the garden plants_

_I am spicy and nice on food (especially meat)_

_I am used in many parables_

_I am a seed_

_What am I?_

Clue:

Burgers are yummy!

Especially with that nice yellow stuff inside!


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. I DO NOT TAKE ANY CREDIT! I WISH I COULD BUT I DONT!

Sorry for the wait guys but here is the third chapter! XD

ACE

We had parked around the corner in caution. I peered around the wall and exited the alleyway. Luffy followed like a shadow, only a breath behind. When I saw the car wreck my stomach churned. I moved to take hold of Luffy's arm, I didn't want him to act on any stupid heroic impulses, but then I suddenly realised I wasn't the only one thinking that way. It was Luffy's strong, firm hand that was wrapped around my forearm. I looked down at him and studied his intense features. Where had the years gone? No longer did he freeze on the spot with irrational thoughts swimming through his head. This time his posture was solid and his chest rose and fell, slowly and calmly. His eyes were fixed on the car, eyebrows smooth and relaxed. That moment in time had me feeling proud; of both him and myself.

Luffy walked forward, letting go of my arm and struggling free from my grip. I let him go and circled the car a few meters ahead, scanning the area around us. We knew what we were up against. We'd been there before and we knew how they liked to play.

'Shanks!' Luffy yelled from where he was. I sighed, relieved.

I walked over and took a good look at Shanks' peaceful face. Luffy picked up the phone and snapped it shut while I hoisted the corpse-like body over my shoulder.

'Keep an eye out,' I told Luffy while I ducked into the alleyway.

'And be ready for combat, I know Ace. We've done this a thousand times.' He replied.

I smirked grimly and dumped Shanks into the backseat; speed was survival. We clambered in and I drag-raced it out of the backstreets, entering the main roads. All I could think about was safely delivering the two most important people; they were all I had. I had to tell Shanks about the mess my brother and I were in, whether he suspected anything or not. It was only right – now that he'd become involved.

SHANKS

I was surrounded by warmth and softness. A bed? I delved deeper into the sheets, not fully conscious of my surroundings. A sharp pain in my back brought me to the reality of a bedroom I had never seen before. I shuffled further up, ignoring the excruciating pain, and was shocked to see a moving bundle of black beside my bed. Was it a dog? It was too dark to see and too cold to expose myself further.

'Ahhh!' Whatever it was jolted up and yawned, stretching its arms above its head. Where the fuck was I? The thing looked up at me and I could only make out his eyes. They were large and quite dilated.

'ACE!'

'Luffy? Why am I- oh.' I could have hit myself over the head.

The door opened and Ace rushed in. His flustered face met mine, his eyes were nervous.

'God, are you ok? Do you feel faint? Nauseous?'

'No, I'm good. It just hurts a bit.' I replied. Ace's face relaxed more as he closed his eyes for a second. He then looked back up at me. I didn't like his expression.

'We need to talk.'

ACE

The light was now on and the sleepless nights began to creep up on me. I pressed my fingers into my eyes and felt the searing pain of tiredness. It was a relief. I opened them once more and stared into Shanks' eyes. He wore a bewildered expression.

'Dragon hasn't been giving us anything so I took out a loan out from Eastfield Bank. My payment is overdue and I can't afford it. They've been sending guys after us for a couple of weeks now.' I said, watching Shanks' expression drop.

'You _what_!

The venom in his voice stung – like a million hornets.

Silence rattled through my mind and I watched the man cautiously. What was the worst he could do? I directed my gaze on Luffy and I studied his features. His eyebrows were furrowed in anger. He _hated _it when I blamed myself about these things but it was true and he knew it. Everything about our situation led back to me.

'I'm taking Luffy back with me.' His voice was so calm; I couldn't register his horrid words.

'What?' I said in shock. A light, numb feeling stunned my body like lightening.

'No, Shanks.' Luffy said quietly.

'Keep out of this Luffy! You're just a kid! Kid's need protecting, not _this_!' Shanks shouted.

'He is _no _fucking kid!' I shouted back. He had no right. _No _right!

'Yes he is and you're doing a shit job at looking after him! You're just like your Dad! You can't do _anything_ right! And when you do, there's always trouble involved!'

'He is _not _my Dad!'

'STOP IT!'

I turned to Luffy and felt the stab in my gut.

'Don't judge my brother- you don't know a _**thing **_about what he's done for me. Ace took on six jobs, 21 hours a day. He's given me what Dad hasn't, and ten times more than anyone else can. I'm not a child anymore Shanks, and I'm not stupid either. My Dad should be looking after _both _of us but he isn't. It's not easy for Ace to do all this for me. And now you come in here and devalue such golden intentions!'

The only part of that speech that was even _remotely _like Luffy was his stupid ending phrase- yet its sentiment stung my eyes. Echoes rang through my head and I could see the vibrations in the air as things became multiple. I was on the verge of fainting. I slammed my hand against the wall to keep myself upright and blinked furiously. The feeling soon went but I didn't move.

SHANKS

What are you supposed to say when a sixteen-year-old tells you that kind of thing? I watched Ace as he brought himself back from the wall. Only now did the shadows under his eyes become visible. Realisation is usually a pleasant and satisfying feeling but in this case, it wasn't. I was wrong. Ace never had a father – Luffy always had me to look up to. Who did Ace have? I never took any interest in him and now it seemed so cruel.

Luffy put a hand on Ace's shoulder and whispered to him. They disappeared through the door and I suddenly panicked. I was supposed to be the adult but now I was being lectured. _I _was in the wrong this time and it felt so gut-wrenching. When had I become the bad guy?

LUFFY

I looked at Ace once more before closing the door and heading back to Shanks' room. I had no idea what to say, what to not say or what to do with my hands...but I felt confident. Shanks was still sitting up against the headboard with a blank look on his face.

'I didn't realise how grown up you were.' He said, pulling a small smile on his face.

'Yeah well; little Oaks grow to become big acorns.' I said, grinning.

'Don't you mean little acorns grow to become big Oak trees?' Shanks replied, laughing.

'Yeah probably; what goes around comes around.'

'Wrong context Luffy…'

'He-he, goodnight Shanks.' The more I talked, the bigger the pickle I'd have to unpickle myself out of.

'Goodnight Luffy.'

I turned the light off and closed the door after me. My mood dropped as I made my way back to my room. I wish Dad was willing to look after us. It wasn't fair on Ace. It wasn't his job.

I climbed into bed and cringed at the cold bed sheets. Why did everything have to be so cold?

ACE

Even though I had been a long-time slave to fatigue, I couldn't close my eyes and drift off. The night felt incomplete. Previously I had only been lying on the couch, trying to drown out the situation. Now I was lying in bed trying to drown out everything around me. Roughly two weeks ago I had tried everything and anything to get to sleep. My night shift job had a set back and had to close for the night so I sat in the living room with all sorts of shit that was supposed to get people to sleep around me. Directly opposite to where I was sitting was a bottle of vodka. It was my last resort after warm milk, chamomile tea and all those natural tablet things. Eventually I gave in to the poison-tasting alcohol. It burnt my throat into oblivion but it did the trick. After doing most of the stuff drunk people do, I collapsed on the couch in satisfaction. I was very tempted to do the same tonight but I couldn't. I had to be on constant guard. Letting it down now would be irresponsible of me.

I turned my head to the side and stared at the junk in my room. Nothing had any sentimental value. Nothing was special. Nothing would I die to save. Most of the stuff in front of me was just taking up space. They say ones room reflects the person but nothing here reflected me. My eyes glanced over the piles of dirty clothes on the reading chair. Maybe _that _reflected me a bit.

My bedroom door clicked at that moment and my eyes shot in that direction. The handle was being pushed down by someone but was it friend or foe? The door opened and a hunched over silhouette stumbled in the room.

'Shanks? What the hell are you doing?' I said in a low tone of voice. 'Put the light on. You've probably torn all your stitches you idiot!'

I pulled the covers back but Shank's hand signal stopped me in my tracks.

'No, I'm alright. I just need to talk.'

He closed the door and sat down heavily on the end of my bed. I could barely make him out but I knew he was there.

'I'm sorry.'

I rolled my eyes. I had been expecting something a bit more adult than that.

'Jeez, is that what this is all about? It doesn't matter. We're all a bit stressed at the moment-'

'Just listen would you?' Shanks interrupted, chuckling.

I realised my shoulders were tense so I relaxed them and leaned against the headboard.

'If I could go back in time, I would change the way I saw you. All I had heard about you was your trouble-making and violence. Because of that I never gave you a chance. I became a part of Luffy's world and I was there for him every step of the way. If he fell over, I would hear about it. If he bought a sweet with his pocket money, I would be the first to know.' Shanks said.

I stared at his back, eyes widened.

'Yet…I never realised how you and Luffy came as a package. Luffy wasn't the only one hurting. In fact, you could have been hurting more. All Luffy ever knew was neglect from Dragon but you knew different. You knew of a time when your mother took care of you and would have given the world for you but all that was taken away. That's what I'm sorry for. I don't want you to forgive me and I don't want you to say it's ok. I just want you to know that I regret.'

I couldn't have admitted it out loud but he was right. I still remember when Mum used to buy us sweets after our trip to the dentist and I can still make out every detail of her face. Every laughter line, every freckle. She was taken away from me. She was the only person who loved me. When she died, Luffy got all the attention. No one ever thought I might be hurting- I, the only one out of us two who was old enough to mourn. No one ever gave me hugs or asked if I was ok. I was always sick of Luffy, always envious, always wishful that someone might love me too.

That's all we got time for on todays' show folks but stay tuned for the next chapter! Don't forget, I need FIVE correct answers to the riddle below before I can even _think _about the next chapter!

Good luck!

Depending on the game,

I vary in many ways.

Sometimes my value is 1,

And sometimes it is 11.

There are only four of me in one pack,

So I do not show myself very often.

I am three letters long

And I like the colours black and red.

My best friend is a joker

And sometimes I have tea with the King and Queen.

You have read my name many times,

So this shouldn't be too hard.

Can you guess what I am?

Clue: This place needs more space because of the race with a steady pace but no mace could beat the lace in this place with much space.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. I DO NOT TAKE ANY CREDIT! I WISH I COULD BUT I DONT!

Well tonnes of you got the riddle right and im sorry its been so long _ ive been terribly busy! Well done! The correct answer was Ace! Now here is the next chapter!

Shanks

It hurt like a bitch; so much more than the first time. In and out, in and out. The pain synced with the ins and disappeared with the outs. How had it come to this? Oh yeah, my stupidity. If only I hadn't gone to visit Ace. I could have left it till morning. Now I was lying on my front taking this torture. Ace's hands were cold on my back and the pain didn't want to subside.

'Done.' He said.

I sighed in relief and let him slip my shirt back on. I sat up and watched Ace tie up my empty sleeve.

'Has Luffy forgiven himself yet?' I asked. It had been a while since the incident.

Ace made the last tie and stood up. 'No, not yet.'

I sighed and rotated my full arm. I was lucky to have it.

'You know,' Ace said, 'I'm sure he will come around. Have a talk with him and see where it goes.'

I shook my head and stood up. I walked to the window and peered through the gaps of the blinds. The morning sun shone through and all the kids were on their way to school. Luffy was at college now. What happened? How could I not notice this difference?

'I've tried before. He just gets angrier. I don't want to keep bringing it up.'

Ace was silent so I turned around. He looked upset. I looked down at his clenched fists and noticed blood, a lot of it.

'Jesus! Where did that come from?' I said. I wasn't bleeding _that _much was I?

'What do you expect? They're bullet wounds not finger-pricks.'

'Yeah but the first time you stitched me-'

'-I used a needle.'

I looked at him, looked at his hands and then looked at the fish bone sitting on the bed-side table.

Ace

'Why the hell would you throw away the needle?' Shanks complained.

The pain from laughing was too much so I crouched to the floor. The tears streaming from my eyes soaked me but I didn't care. It was too funny.

I got up and chuckled the laugh away. I dried my eyes on my sleeve and stood up straight. 'When did you become such a baby?'

'Since I lost my arm.' Shanks replied, laughing.

'That's dark humour Shanks.' I said, walking to the desk to clear away the mess. I walked into the en suite bathroom to wash my hands of the blood and dried my hands. I looked into the mirror to have a look at my worn face. It wasn't a pretty sight and I couldn't remember ever looking so wrecked. I was raising my hand to my face, comparing the contrast in colour when I heard a groan from the bedroom.

I rushed back to find Shanks struggling to get up. The extra wounds to his legs weren't ready to be stretched. Healing was to be taken seriously.

'Sit back down you idiot. You'll tear your stitches again. I don't know if I have any more fish bones hanging around.' I said, putting my hands on his shoulders and gently pushing.

'Ace I'm not a senile old man; I need to walk around a bit. My muscles are aching!' Shanks said, resisting against my hands.

'No shit Sherlock. You're not meant to be alive after that car accident-'

'Which wasn't an accident.' Shanks interrupted, staring through me. I let go of his shoulders and quietly regarded him. 'I'm sorry. This is just a lot to handle at the moment. But to stop me from going insane, I need to walk. Even if it's just a bit around the room.'

I nodded and took his forearm, supporting it as he stood slowly. More groaning escaped his lips and I watched his focused gaze that yet, seemed to be lost beyond the objects around him. He took a step forward, gripping my arm tightly.

'I'm ok. I think just the getting up is difficult.' Shanks mumbled, walking forward and grimacing. I followed him silently, taking baby-steps. I couldn't help but feel hurt by his comment. Hurt in a guilty way. I had no intention of starting any of this. I had no intention of hurting my little brother and I definitely did not expect his father-figure to get involved.

'Hey.' Shanks said softly. Did I hear a hint of remorse in his voice? Or maybe he had more to say to make me feel bad. I must have taken my time replying because he repeated himself. '_Hey_, you ok?'

'Yeah I'm fine. See if you can turn the corner.' I replied feebly, walking backwards in front of him. He turned the corner and stopped to study my face. We were now standing at the foot of the bed.

'Ace.' Shanks said sharply. He put his hand on my shoulder and I turned, backing into the footboard.

'Forget about it Shanks.' I replied, brushing the contact away. 'I know the damage I've caused. I don't need it rubbed in.'

'I didn't mean to say it like that. You know I'm glad someone's there for luffy.' Shanks said, moving to take a step closer. As he did so, his foot met my own and he lost his balance. I reached out to grab him but gravity took its toll and we landed in a heap on the bed. I groaned from the pressure on my knee caps but it was nothing compared to the sound coming from Shank. It was loud in my right ear.

'Are you ok?' I asked, placing my hands on his shoulders, trying to lift him. His chest was heavy on mine.

'Yeah gimme a sec.' He replied. It was only when he lifted and his face became extremely close to mine did I realise I was flustered and frozen. His eyes met mine for a single moment but disappeared as quickly as it had come about. I supported his chest as he lifted himself up and helped him sit beside me.

The silence was awkward – to say the least – and I sat with my hands on my lap, listening to Shank's breathing. He tried to muffle them by breathing through his nose but it wasn't working.

'We need to figure this all out.' Shanks said eventually. I froze, not sure if this conversation was really happening.

'Um, yeah; where do you want to start?' I replied, refusing to look his way. The floor because almost too interesting.

'The beginning?' the red-head said, turning to look at me. He leant forward to study my face, wanting to know if I was listening.

'Well I don't know when it started.' I replied, hesitant to speak. 'Where did… it start for you?'

'What?'

I turned to look at Shanks, his expression one of confusion. 'I-'

'Are we talking about the same thing here?'

I regarded him, heart pounding loudly.

'I wanted to know… I thought we were talking about everything. Life.' I replied, too happy to have come up with a justifiable story.

Shank's expression relaxed; clearly understanding my false intent.

'Yada, yada. What's wrong with you? Where's the boisterous boy I used to know?'

I chuckled. 'I guess you just threw me off guard.'

We sat in silence for another moment; less awkward but unnecessary none the less.

'So. The beginning?' Shanks re-asked his primary question.

'Ok. Well I don't know what you think has been going on with Dragon but we haven't heard from him in months. The last time I tried to contact that bastard he was drunk out of his mind; after that the line was always dead. As Luffy said, I had up to six jobs at one point trying to pay for everything. This isn't a cheap place to live and heck I know I may seem old and in charge but I don't know the first thing about moving. We were doing ok till I realised Luffy barely saw me. Yeah I had to look after the brat but I'm still his brother and only company. I gave up some jobs, worked out some shifts. Money became less and so I took out a loan as you know. So-'

'What it called?' Shanks interrupted.

I stared at him, unable to relate his question to what I had said.

'The place you took the loan from.'

'Oh, Eastfield Bank. It sounds ok. Everything looked formal and shit but I guess they take their loans seriously. The guy who's after us isn't holding back on the killing let's just say.'

Shanks observed me for a while, thinking to himself. 'How much did you take out?'

I looked at him, begging with my expression not to ask that question.

'Ace-'

'60000000 yen.' I whispered.

Another silence although this time I could feel the heat radiating off Shank's body.

'And how the fuck did you think you could pay that back?'

I stood, unable to keep my nerves to such a confined space. Getting away from the red-headed red-head was a good idea too. I stood by the window.

'_Ace!_'

'I don't know! Ok? I don't know but I know I fucked up. Stop having a go at me. I'm still a fucking kid Shanks!' I started to shout. I turned to him angry that I'm in the wrong for trying. 'Where were you? Last I heard you had a great job. Where was your help? Well it wasn't here. I'm by myself Shanks so don't fucking start!'

He watched me from his place on the bed. I couldn't make out his expression but from the way I was holding my body in a defiant stance, I knew I should calm down.

'I haven't seen you this angry in a while.' He said, looking at his lap. A smile crept on to his face.

I straightened up, determined to become a man again. 'I'm sorry I guess-'

I was cut off by the ring of my mobile. I took it out of my pocket and immediately answered when I saw the caller ID.

'Smoker?'

'_Don't you know the fucking time? Your kids meant to be home, don't you know where the fuck he is?_' Smoker said, sounding angry.

I quickly pulled the phone away to look at the time and swore.

'Shit I didn't realise.'

'_Too right you didn't fucking realise. They have him you twat. You're not making my job easy._'

I froze.

'What is it? Who's Smoker?'

'They… have Luffy.'

'_I'll be over in fifteen. For fuck sake, don't do anything stupid before I get there._'

Click- the phone went dead.

For the _**NEXT CHAPTER **_ you need to answer this riddle right!

_I like to throw things_

_At people I hate_

_I aim with my left hand_

_And throw with my right_

_I had an alliance_

_With a druggy fish-man _

_But I double-crossed him_

_To persue my dream_

Ummm if you are up to date with anime you should get it :D

Cheska xxxxxx


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